Goa Congress defends move to give tickets to family members

PANAJI: Defending its decision to give tickets to the family members of party leaders for the Assembly elections, Congress today maintained that people of Goa would decide the issue.

"If young people have come up, it is their right to get the ticket. Let the people of Goa decide on the issue," All India Congress Committee general secretary Oscar Fernandes told media here, claiming that the number of tickets disbursed to family members is not "large".

The party has been facing criticism for giving tickets for family members of its local leaders.

Churchill Alemao's family has got four tickets while other leaders like Pratapsingh Rane, Ravi Naik and Pandurang Madkaikar have managed to get two tickets each for their family members.

BJP has decided to make family-rule in the state as a major issue for the March 3 polls.